Batman: Allegiance
by WhoThere
Summary: Once again Joker is on the loose and this time he has big plans for Batman. Will Joker finaly leave his mark on Batman or will the Dark Knight give into to his inner demons and put an end to this once and for all? Read on and find out.
1. Genius or Madman?

_Batman: Allegiance _

Chapter 1

Genius or Madman?

The rain trickled down Batman's cowl and onto his face. It felt like ice being scraped across his skin. Gotham's weather could be so harsh. He scanned the construction site looking for any movement whatsoever. Nothing. Right in the centre of the site was an unfinished building, half its roof was missing and water filled the floors. It was going to be a new office building. He couldn't remember who for; not that it mattered if he could.

Batman walked through the mud towards the unfinished landmark. He eyed it up and down looking for grapple points and places where one false step and it could cave in. A click echoed throughout the site. Like something was being turned on. Speakers.

A quiet laugh slowly getting louder echoed in a haunted kind of way. That demonic laugh could only belong to one person.

"Joker." Batman muttered.

"Well done Batsy, you found me."

"Where are you?"

"Ha Ha Haa! Now that would be telling. Come on world's greatest detective…detect me!" Joker tormented.

Batman fired his grappling hook and he zip lined towards the fourth floor of the building. "Why did you kill him?"

"Who that D.A? What was his name? Henry? Harry?"

"Harold Lanning!" Batman shouted in anger.

"Oh yeah! Well I had to get your attention somehow didn't I?"

"You wrote your own name in his blood." Batman lent against a wall and held a batarang in his hand. He jumped round the corner but no one was there.

"Almost." Joker said.

"You're watching me."

"Wow you really are very astute. Anyway where was I? Ah yes, our late Mr. Harold Lanning. One of the reasons I killed him was he had started to get the scum of Gotham running. They feared him Batman, more than you. Ha Ha Ha Haaa. But not me. Every man has a breaking point even you."

"So you killed him just to get to me?" Batman fired his grappling hook and he travelled another three floors.

"So what if I did. It worked didn't it? Because you came like a dog. At the click of my fingers you're there. I blow up a building you're there. I torch a school you're there. I call you you're there. Can't you see it Batman I control you and so does every other scum in this city. But just to be fair it's going to be our little secret…HA HAHAHAHAH AAHH!"

Batman looked round and saw Joker stood at the doorway laughing maniacally. He threw his batarang at him but when it made contact he shattered into a jagged pieces. Batman walked over to it and saw a projection box on the other side and a mirror. He'd been tricked.

"Nice try Batsy but I'm still alive. Still here to torment you. Tell me do you believe in a God? Or Karma? Even just deserts?"

He didn't reply.

Joker sighed. "I believe that the world tries to balance its self out and I can prove it. People like Commissioner Gordon and Harold Lanning have their plans and their secrets. Plans, plans, plans. I come along and turn those plans to dust. Now you dress up as a Bat and terrorise the scum and thugs of Gotham, make them pay for their sins in blood, pain, sweat…fear. I appear and make you pay for your sins Ha Haa."

Batman spun round and punched a large man in the face. He stumbled backwards in pain. Batman looked at his hands white and red paint was on them. Joker had brought back up.

More men came out of the shadows with face paint on. One had a metal pipe.

The first thug ran at Batman only to receive a punch in the jaw and a bone breaking kick in the kneecaps. Two more came at him and one of them had the metal pipe. He grabbed the pipe and twisted. A crunch filled the air as the thugs wrist snapped.

Batman spun round with his cape swishing and smashed the pipe against the other thugs knee. He fell to the floor in pain and Batman slammed the pipe against his head. One thug was left and was wiping his forehead in panic and was breathing heavily.

"Oh great we all know how this is going to end." Joker said over the loudspeaker, disheartened.

The thug ran to Batman and swung his fist but missed as his target simply sidestepped. He swung again and again until Batman grabbed his wrist and went to push his elbow upwards so it would snap.

"NO WAIT!" The thug cried.

Batman waited.

"I can tell you where the Joker is." He said in a quiet voice.

"Just because you whisper don't think I can't hear you chucko!" Joker said annoyed.

"He's gunna break my arm boss." The thug wailed.

"And I'll kill you if you tell him." Joker threatened.

The thug thought for a minute then said. "Joker's in the…"

"He's in the where?" Batman said.

The thug fell to the floor with a poll sticking out of him and a flag on the end saying bang.

"I told him I'd kill him."

Batman scanned the room looking for the gun.

"Don't worry Bats, I'm not firing one on you. That'd be all to easy. Now where was I? Ah yes that's it, the world balancing itself out."

"Enough Joker!" Batman shouted. Thunder boomed over his voice.

"Afraid not, not until you find me. Now I think I was put on God's green earth for one purpose only. To balance. Remember when you pushed me in that vat of acid?"

"You slipped. I tried to save you." Batman correct him.

"Fat load a good that did, look at me now. White, green and mean. But if you wasn't there playing hero I would have still been a crook. A thug. Don't you see Batman it's all down to you. The blood of all the people I've killed are on your hands. Their families grief and sorrow are on your shoulders and their hate is on your mind. I know how you work FREAK!"

Batman tried to ignore what the Joker was saying but he had a point.

Joker carried on. "All the madmen came out to play when the freak released them."

"You want to play games Joker? Fine. I've studied criminal psychology."

"That's why I hate you, you're a SHRINK!" Joker mocked but Batman ignored him.

"Like you said, before me you were nothing. A petty thief trying to score big at a chemical factory. But what I never understood was why you kept coming back. I'd put you away in Arkham time and time again but you still came back. You can't kill me."

"Ha! That's what you think; tonight I will be rid of you."

Batman froze on the spot. "Then what?" He said solemnly.

"What?"

"If you kill me tonight. What next, look under my mask. Tell the world who I am? What would you achieve?"

There was no reply.

"Why so quiet Joker? I thought you liked mind games?"

Another one of Jokers henchmen jumped out with a knife in his hands and another two followed. The first thug cut through the air with the blade. He sliced Batman's chest to reveal what looked like a kind of stab proof vest. He pulled out a batarang and stabbed it in the thugs shoulder. The other two swung at the same time and Batman rolled out of the way and kicked the second thug in the back and punched the third in his side. The second turned round and received a knee in the groin and two punches to the face. The third went to kick him but his leg was caught and the thug was thrown into the air. He crashed down on the floor. Batman walked over to him and kicked him unconscious across the face.

"Maybe I won't kill you tonight, I might lay low for a while Batsy. Because if I kill you the world will be unbalanced and you won't kill me because you can't. I might come back though. One dark night and perhaps kill one of your Bat-friends. I might kill Robin, Nightwing, maybe even Batgirl. Yes that's it, I'd come back for the killing joke. HA HAAA HAAAA HAAAAAA!"

"I'm going to find you." Batman said reminding Joker of his fate.

"Oh I'm counting on it. But will you still be sane when you do. Who knows; maybe the world will be turned on it's head when you leave. Maybe the rules will have changed."

Batman had lost count of how many floors he had ascended now. It felt like the building went on forever. As if it had no top to it at all… wait. Batman squinted to see. He aimed his grappling hook into the sky and felt it attach to something solid. He zipped up into air, the wind and the rain beating him down and his cape flapping in the wind. When he landed on the roof he scanned the immediate area to find nothing but a bleak view of Gotham City.

"The lights are on but no one's at home. Naaaha ha ha ha ha haaa!"

A box in front of Batman lit up and revealed a counter on it and wires protruding out into the building.

"Jokes on you! HAAAA HA HA HA HAAAAAA!" Joker shouted hysterically.

Four seconds appeared on the bomb. Batman ran towards the edge of the building and threw himself off. Just then the timer reached zero and each floor began to explode one after the other. He couldn't glide to safety otherwise he'd be caught in the blast and there was nothing to grapple onto.

The floor was rapidly closing in fast and Batman was running out of time. "I've got to risk it." He thought and opened up his cape so it turned into a huge set of wings.

But the blast caught him and threw him towards the ground. He lay there in the cold mud with the rain pelting his face. Batman managed to drag himself up.

He looked at his cape and costume. The cape was in rags and it looked like something the grim reaper would wear and his back was slightly singed which would succumb to infection if not properly treated. As he held his chest he felt two or three broken ribs.

Just then a dark blue van came crashing through a gate leading to the site and was heading straight towards Batman. He froze for a while like a fox caught in front of a truck but he snapped out of it and rolled to one side narrowly missing a collision. The van spun out of control and hit what was left of the burning building.

The van door opened and out stepped Joker in his skinny purple grubby suit. His infamous smile made to look longer by the red paint extending across each side of his mouth.

"Don't you remember the van when you entered this forsaken place?" Joker said.

Batman thought hard then remembered zooming past it in the Batmobile thinking nothing of it. Just focused to make Joker pay.

"Time to end it Batsy." Joker pulled out a 50 Caliber Magnum gun and aimed it straight at Batman. "I seriously doubt you're faster than a speeding bullet. That's the other guy."

"My aim is faster." With that Batman threw a batarang at Joker's gun.

The weapon fired then it was knocked out of his hand. Batman ducked but felt something stab into his shoulder.

Joker held his wrist in pain. "One day I'm really just going to have walk up behind you and shoot you."

He looked at Batman on the floor holding his shoulder. He ran up to him and kicked him in the stomach then in the head. "Perhaps you're right. Maybe I can't kill you, but that doesn't mean I can't beat you to a pulp."

Joker held his hands together and whacked Batman across the face.

He then got down to Batman's level an whispered in is ear. "But that doesn't mean I wont kill Robin, Nightwing or Batgirl. I have plans for all of them…and guess what. Your blood is on their hands!"

"That was it." Batman thought. "You've gone too far."

He elbowed Joker in the face then pulled out the bang flag pole that was stuck in his shoulder. As he did this pain surged through his body but it quickly turned to anger.

Joker scrambled to his feet. Batman jumped up and stabbed the pole into Jokers leg then punched him in the face.

Joker looked round for a weapon of some sort. Then he saw it next to the crashed van. A piece of lead piping. He went to run but the pole in his leg stopped him. He grabbed it with two hands and yanked the metal out.

"Argg!" He shouted.

"Can't hack the pain." Batman said drawing closer to him.

Joker run to the pole and picked it up. He smiled revealing eerily white teeth. "Pain and pleasure baby."

Joker run in and swung his pole for Batman's head. He ducked and countered with an uppercut. The impact almost made Joker lose his footing.

"This ones going out the park." He mused as he held the piping like a baseball bat.

Joker swung and it made contact with Batman's shoulder. He grunted as the pain shot through his body. Joker then hit him again in the kneecap. Batman swung his fist furiously but hit thin air.

Joker side stepped and stamped down on the back of Batman's leg then kneed him in the head.

"Oh this is too easy. Come on put you back into it." He mocked.

Joker swung the piping again but Batman grabbed hold of it and pulled it from Joker's grasp.

He smashed it across Joker's face kicked him in the stomach. Batman grabbed Joker's head and slammed it against his knee then head butted him.

Joker fell to the floor coughing up blood. He slowly sunk into the mud. Sirens could be heard in the distance. "What now? Lock me in Arkham and throw away the key. Surely I'm too dangerous to live after all I've told you. I'm uncontrollable. I fear nothing or no one. Not even big bad Batman can make me cower."

Batman towered over Joker. "You're going to Arkham…and you're going to rot there."

"Right." He said laughing. "You know I'll just break out and we'll be doing this all over again." He wiped the blood away from his mouth. "You think everyone's as noble as you. But they're not. When people fear something or someone they will go to extreme lengths to save themselves. Even if that means going against what they stand for."

He stared at Batman. "Can't you sense it? The world is changing, mark my words. Gotham is frightened."

Police cars zoomed up to where Joker and Batman were and heavily armed officers got out. The handcuffed Joker with thick titanium cuffs.

Commissioner Gordon walked up to Batman. "We're taking him back to Arkham."

Batman said nothing.

Gordon looked round at the burnt out building and sighed. "Joker's getting dangerous."

"He's always been a threat Jim."

"Not like this. He's started killing people with no real sole reason, apart from getting your attention. Harold's family have been informed and they demand justice."

"Justice is done, he's going back to Arkham." Batman said gruffly.

"There want more than that. They're screaming for blood. They want a more permanent solution."

Joker's words echoed through Batman's mind as Gordon talked. _"When people fear something or someone they will go to extreme lengths to save themselves."_

Gordon sighed. "Never before have the people of Gotham demanded this."

"_Even if that means going against what they stand for._"

"They blame you as well. That before Batman appeared Gotham had normal thugs."

"_I blow up a building you're there."_

"Thugs that didn't have super powers or were driven to insanity."

"_I torch a school you're there." _

"They think that you bring out the worst in Gotham."

"_All the madmen came out to play when the freak released them."_

"And I'm sorry to say it but…they screaming for you as well."

"_Gotham is frightened."_

Batman sighed. "I don't care what Gotham thinks of me. I didn't get into this for gratitude. Joker goes to Arkham. Keep a 24 hour watch on him and no one is to talk or listen to him. I carry on fighting for the people of Gotham. Whether they think I'm the good or bad guy."

Batman walked back to the Batmobile, the darkness of night engulfing him. Commissioner Gordon walked back to his squad car and followed the other police officers. Joker sat in a chair laughing quietly with clamps round his chest, legs and neck.

"Gotham is changing. They're frightened. The people want blood…and they want Batman's heh-heh. Jokes on you. NAAHAHAHAHAAHHAHHAAAAHHAAAAAAAAAAA!"


	2. Broken or Beaten?

Chapter 2

Broken or Beaten?

A muscle bound man wearing a black mask with red eyes ripped open a vault door like it was made of paper. He looked up at a camera in the vault and saluted sarcastically. The man looked at all the security boxes searching for box 3992.

"Bane!" Called out a man from behind him.

Bane spun round and saw Batman standing at the doorway. The bright lights of the bank vault made him seem less frightening.

"I wondered when you'd show up." Bane said in a deep South American accent.

Batman stared Bane in the eye.

"I've been hired to retrieve this box and I intend to get it to my employer. My reputation is very important to me, I'm sure you understand."

Batman fired his grappling hook into the ceiling and zipped towards Bane. Batman kicked him in the face and then picked up two safe deposit boxes and smashed one round his head.

He went to hit Bane again but Bane grabbed them both and crushed the metal boxes. Bane swung for Batman. He felt his fist narrowly miss his face. Batman responded by kicking Bane in the side and punched him in the chest twice.

Every attack seemed to rebound off of him. Bane grabbed Batman's arm and punched him in the stomach twice and elbowed him in the face.

"You're an excellent fighter Batman. But you're no match for my strength." Bane stated.

Batman went to punch him again but Bane picked him up and threw him across the floor.

Police cars now surrounded the deserted bank and a police officer spoke into a loudspeaker.

"Put your hands up and walk out slowly! We have the building surrounded!"

Batman pulled himself up from the floor. "Give up Bane."

The muscle bound villain smiled. "He's not talking just to me."

"Bane give up! Batman give up!"

"Ha ha ha! I told you so." Bane went to charge at Batman but he fired his grappling hook in the air and zipped up to the ceiling. Bane carried on charging and he crashed through the bank doors. The policemen raised their guns toward him but Bane crashed through their cars which were flung about like toys.

He grabbed a police officer and threw him against a wall. He punched another into a window. He grabbed the last one by his legs and spun him in circles taking out any further policemen.

Batman sprinted up to Bane and jumped on his back ready to pull his venom tube out of the back of his head but it wouldn't budge.

"The tube is part of me now Batman." He grabbed the dark knight and flung him against a police car. "I decided to get the venom tube grafted to my skull. It's a part of me now, part of my bones."

"Bones can broken!" Came a voice from behind. It was Nightwing. He glided down to street level and faced the assassin.

"Ah, Nightwing. I owe you an unpleasant death." Bane said calmly.

"Still sore that I beat you to a bloodied pulp."

Bane ran at him with his fist's clenched tightly. He swung furiously but each time Nightwing would duck and dive out of the way.

"You're getting slow Bane, what's wrong? Old age?" Nightwing mocked.

"Insolent brat. I will break you."

"We've heard that before."

Batman laid against the police car. A few people had started to gather to watch the fight. One shouted. "Freakin Batman, get outa Gotham!"

Then another shouted. "You cause more problems than you solve."

More people began to shout abuse at him. Swearing and rude gestures. Joker's words echoed through his mind again. _"The blood of all the people I've killed are on your hands."_

"Get the hell away from us!" More shouted.

"_Their families grief and sorrow are on your shoulders…"_

"WE DON'T WANT YOU!"

"…_And their hate is on your mind."_

Batman looked up at Bane. He was punching Nightwing in the face and slamming him against the walls. But he still got back up. Even when people were telling him get lost he carried on.

Batman stood up and threw a batarang into Bane's back. It embedded itself in is flesh.

"Arg!" He shouted.

Batman ran straight to him and punch him full pelt in the face. It felt good. He did it again. It felt better. His anger was slowly fading. Batman punched and punched. Bane trying to defend himself flung his arms at Batman and knocked him away only for him to fire his grapping hook at a lamp post and swing round for a canon ball kick.

The once untouchable Bane fell to the floor with Batman landing on top of him. He punched him in the face again and again. The Joker's face going through his mind. His laughter ringing in his ears.

Nightwing pulled Batman off of Bane who was laying there with a blooded face and completely unconscious.

"Stop it! You'll kill him."

Batman breathed deeply and looked at his blooded gloves then at the bystanders who all stood there quietly.

A news crew walked out of the crowd. "And here you have it ladies and gentlemen. One of the sole reasons why people are petitioning for the capture of Batman. You saw how out of control he was then, what next he starts…" The news reporter stopped as everyone in the crowd stepped back in fear. The reporter turned round and saw Batman towering over her.

"I…I…" She stuttered.

"You don't want me?" He said but no one answered. "Save your own god-dam lives next time."

He fired his grappling hook into the air and swung off into the night.

THREE DAYS LATER

Bruce sat at his huge computer system in the Batcave. He was in his normal clothes. Cuts on his face were still visible. A faint whooshing sound could be heard.

Bruce sighed. "I'm not in the mood Clark."

Standing behind him was the Man of Steel. Superman. "They wanted me to talk to you."

"They being who?" Bruce asked.

"Dick, Tim and Barbra. I think Alfred's given up." He joked but Bruce stared at him.

"Why are you like this Bruce? The people of Gotham have wanted you gone before."

"Not like this. Deals are being made behind peoples backs to get rid of me. Deals by high powered dangerous people."

"What did the Joker do to you?" Clark asked.

"He turned them against me. So I'm giving them what they want. A world without Batman."

"Do you know what I can hear Bruce?"

"No. But I have feeling you're going to tell me."

"I hear a city, lost. They don't know who to look to or who to believe in. They need a hero…they need a Dark Knight."

"Do you know how uninspiring that was?"

Clark shook his head. "Then maybe this will wake you up. Arkham is in havoc. Freeze has escaped along with Killer Croc, Scarecrow, Riddler and Clayface."

"You could round them up along with the rest of the Justice League."

Clark grabbed Bruce's shoulders. "Snap out of it! Gotham needs you. Dick, Tim and Barbra are doing everything they can but you were the one who assembled them. You're the only one these villains truly fear! Or has Joker finally got to you?"

Bruce looked up. "No. He hasn't won." He walked over to a huge dark room. Then seconds later came out in his Batman costume.

"Thank you Clark." He said heading towards the Batmobile.

He smiled. "Don't worry I won't tell anyone back at the League that I had to give you a pep talk."

Batman stared at Clark and said gruffly. "Who said I was worried?" He sped out of the cave leaving Clark behind on his own.

He shivered. "This place gives me the creeps."

Batman pressed a button on his onboard computer system. A robotic voice spoke. "Doctor Jonathan Crane A.K.A. Scarecrow is breaking into Gotham Chemicals Factory as we speak. He has just triggered the silent alarm."

He put his foot down on the accelerator and the fast sleek BatMobile sped off into the distance.

GOTHAM CHEMICAL FACTORY

A man in a burlap sack mask and a torn straight jacket searched through beakers and tubes for the specific ingredients.

"Where are they?" He hissed.

A security guard held his gun towards Scarecrow. "D…don't move." He spluttered.

The masked villain turned to him. "Frightened?" He said.

"N…no!"

Scarecrow laughed. "Oh I think you are. I can hear it in your voice. I see your hands and legs shaking uncontrollably."

"Stay where you are!"

"Ha ha! What do you fear most officer?" Scarecrow advanced on the guard who dropped his gun in fear. But he wasn't frightened of Scarecrow anymore. It was who was behind him that sent a shiver up his spine.

"What do you fear?" Scarecrow repeated his voice like broken glass.

Then a gruff voice came behind him. "What do you fear Crane?"

The villain spun round in panic but saw no one there. "W…who's there."

"Your worst nightmare." Came the voice again.

"No, no! I know that voice it can't be you. I thought you quit…Joker said he beat you. That's all he bragged about."

"You should know better than to listen to an insane man."

Scarecrow, stripped of all he power he once had. Now he was feeling what he had put his victims through. Fear.

"This can't be happening. I can't go back to Arkham!" The frightened man walked backwards towards the exit looking for anyone or thing to jump out on him. As he walked he bumped into something behind him. As he turned round slowly he saw Batman standing over him.

Batman grabbed Scarecrow but the collar. "Tell me Doctor, what do you fear most."

ARKHAM ASYLUM

Joker sat in his cell learning against the wall…smiling. He could hear sirens and sounds of prisoners escaping. As he sat in his secure wing in Arkham, that up to this moment in time was living up to it's name, he stood up and walked over to the thick metal bars.

"Oh officer?"

No one replied.

"I know your watching me officer. I've been locked up for nearly four days now."

Still no one replied.

"It's not the being behind bars that bothers me, or the food which to be honest isn't really that bad. It's the loneliness that get's to a man.

Have you ever read a book called Of Mice and Men? Thought not. Well in there was this guy called Crooks and he slept in barn or something like that and he says something along the lines of being alone for so long makes a man hear things. Well you see I hear things, I hear laughter and the voices in my head make up plots and schemes. Hee- hee. Batman has no idea what I have in store for him. But now I must rest. A face like this needs it's beauty sleep. Heh heh."

Joker laid back down on his solid and uncomfortable bed and closed his eyes. He lay there cut off from the entire world…for now.


	3. Justice or Murder?

Chapter 3

Justice or Murder?

Batman, Robin, Batgirl and Nightwing sat in the bat cave with their masks off.

"I don't want any of you to go after Joker." Bruce said sternly.

"No worries there he's locked up in Arkham." Barbra said.

"I mean ever."

"Why?" Asked Tim.

"Because he's become more dangerous then ever." Bruce snapped.

Dick stood up. "I know you're trying to protect us but we can handle him, it's not like this is our first day."

"He's threatened to kill all of you and this time I don't think he was joking!" Bruce shouted.

"If I may say something Master Bruce." Alfred stood behind the four heroes. "You have trained them to face almost any super villain in any situation. You'll have to trust them one day."

The huge computer began to flash lights and make an alarm noise. Bruce looked at the screen.

"It's the four that broke out of Arkham. Tim take Riddler, he's breaking into Wayne Technology Factory."

"You mean YOUR Tech factory." Tim corrected.

"Just go. Barbra you take Clayface. He's breaking into Gotham central bank."

"Yes sir." She joked.

"Dick, think you can take Killer Croc?"

"No problem."

"He's broken into Gotham Zoo."

"Aw great. He's protesting again. This is going to get ugly."

"I'm taking Freeze. He's at…" Bruce paused. "Oh no."

AT GOTHAM CRYOGENICS LAB

A tall man with an ice blue face wearing what looked like a futuristic armour, fired ice beams from his hands.

"Where is Nora Fries?!" He demanded.

One of the Lab assistants cowered in the corner. "We don't have anyone here with the name Nora."

"Where is my wife! I was promised by Batman she'd be here!" Ice beams shot out of his hands and froze the assistant.

"Where is she!" He yelled.

"Victor!" Batman shouted standing behind him.

Mr. Freeze spun round. "Batman! Where is my wife!"

"She never arrived here. I'm sorry."

Mr. Freeze felt a jolt go through his frozen heart. "What?"

"Do you remember when you double crossed the mob boss Rupert Thorne? He got his revenge by intercepting the vehicle that was carrying Nora here."

Freeze felt a wave of anger come over him, uncontrollable ice cold anger. "He killed my wife! This is your fault Batman! Why didn't you protect her?!"

Freeze held his hands up to Batman and a beam of ice flew straight towards him but he rolled out of the way in time.

"Freeze, stop it!" Batman yelled.

"The whole of Gotham shall pay for your failure to act."

He fired another beam of ice at Batman who jumped into the air and kicked Freeze in the helmet that covered his head. He then punched him in the stomach, spun round then elbowed him in the back.

Freeze swung his fist towards Batman who countered with two punches and a kick in the side. Freeze grabbed Batman who this time was too slow and flung him into a wall. The distraught villain fired more ice beams into the air and all around him, narrowly missing Batman.

"Freeze stop it! You'll bring this whole building down.

"You'll be buried in the cold embrace of ice, Batman."

Batman jumped up and tackled Freeze to the ground. He head butted him and Freeze responded by punching him in the stomach and kicking him into a wall again.

As Batman hit the wall he felt a snap in his chest. "Great, another broken rib." He thought.

Mr. Freeze towered over Batman and punched his head against the wall. "Why did you let her die! Why didn't you save her!"

"There was nothing I could do, I wasn't there when it happened." He coughed.

"But you're everywhere, you always are!"

Batman noticed something he'd never seen in a super villain before. A tear. Not a tear of pain from a bone being broken or a tear from tiredness. A tear of love. A tear of grief. It reminded Batman that his adversary was still human.

Freeze picked up Batman and threw him across the room and into a lab table.

"I WILL KILL YOU!" Freeze yelled over the sound of the building slowly caving in.

Batman ran up to Freeze and punched him round the face, kicked him in the back of the leg then punched him twice in the head again. But through all the grief and anger he took it. Freeze took the vicious blows one after the other hoping they would numb his pain.

A large chunk of the building landed onto a table full of chemicals. As they were mixed they exploded and fire projectiles where thrown everywhere.

One of them crashed into Freeze and the heat of it cracked his helmet which then shattered.

"AHHH!" He screamed as the heat burned his ice cold skin.

Another explosion went off and it threw Mr. Freeze through a wall and on to the street outside.

Batman looked round for an exit and a way to help his adversary. "There." He thought. Batman ran over to a heavy metal canister that read Liquid Nitrogen on it, he grabbed it and ran for the hole in the wall that Freeze had made.

Batman saw him in the middle of the street gasping for air. He got his batarang and pierced the side of it. The freezing liquid hissed out and covered Mr. Freeze's face. Police cars began to arrive now so Batman fired his grappling hook in the air and swung off.

The Dark Knight stood on top of a gargoyle over looking Gotham city. He truly felt sorry for Victor. What he couldn't understand was that almost every thug and villain in Gotham knew that Thorne had killed Nora. So why didn't Victor know?

"Also Scarecrow said that Joker kept bragging about me being defeated. I told Jim that he was to be in isolation. Something doesn't add up here." He thought.

Batman headed back towards the Batmobile. The small computer screen was flashing.

"What is it?" He said.

Batgirls face appeared on the screen. She was back at the cave. "I've been calling you for ages where have you been?"

"Thinking."

"We've all rounded up our villains and they're being taken back to Arkham but there's something else going on. Something big."

"What is it?"

"Arkham is going to execute Joker."

"What?!" Batman shouted.

"Harold Lanning's family seem to have gathered quite a few followers and somehow they've managed to convince Arkham to kill him."

"That's not possible. This isn't right!"

"They're marching him to the electric chair now. I can show you the live feed via a camera in there."

The computer screen flickered. Then came back to life again with Joker sitting in a metal chair and being clamped to it.

"Is this what Gotham's come too? They execute the people they fear?" Joker said.

A woman's voice could be heard. "You're not a person. You're a raving psychopath who killed my husband and countless other people. You deserve to be killed!"

"Ha haa! Sticks and stones may break my bones but your words will get you killed. Ha ha haaa! When I get out of here Ms Lanning you and your son are dead. Then again maybe I'll be nice and only kill you, I'll let the wee twenty nine year old nipper live. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAA!"

The warden walked over to the switch ready to end Joker's life, but Batman already knew what was going to happen.

"Any last words clown?" The Warden mocked.

Joker smiled in the most coldest and demonic way possible and said. "Jokes on you."

The Warden pulled the switch and the lights in the room went out. In fact the whole security system in that room went down. Including the electronic clamps that were holding Joker down.

Within the pitch black all you could hear was. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH!"

Batman stepped on the accelerator and sped towards Arkham narrowly missing oncoming traffic. "Barbra, I want all of you to stay in the cave."

"But we can…"

"Please." He said.

"Ok." The screen went blank.

He didn't dare think what Joker had done but he just hoped that at worst he'd escaped. As he reached Arkham nothing seemed to be out of place but as he go closer to the huge front doors he saw the words HA! HA! HA! and JOKER WAS HERE!

He got out the Batmobile and looked at them. "Please say it's not blood." He thought.

He sighed in relief. "Spray paint."

The doors opened and Batman walked in. The sound of Arkham's inmates screaming and shouting could be heard. Batman headed towards the execution room that had not been used in over fifty years until today. It was supposed to have been knocked down for a new therapy room but never had the funding.

When Batman reached the doors to the room a smiley face had been painted on it. Two things made Batman's stomach churn enough to make any other man sick. He had seen no guards up to this point. No security, nothing. The second was that this time the smiley face was painted on the door in blood. Fresh blood.

Batman pushed them open and what he saw would haunt him forever. Guards laid sprawled in some kind of line in puddles of blood and in the centre was Ms Lanning. The words JOKES ON YOU was painted in the middle of the floor in huge bloody letters. Then he realised why the guards where in a bizarre line. It read BATMAN. JOKES ON YOU BATMAN!

He ran back outside to the Batmobile where he vomited in the bushes. This was the worst thing he'd ever seen. Joker had to be stopped.

He got into the car and pushed a button on the screen. Batgirl appeared.

"Barbra I need you to inform Gotham Police to send their S.W.A.T. team and clean up crew to Arkham. There's been a mass-murder there of guards and Ms Lanning." He ordered.

"I…Oh my god…ok I'll do it now. What are you going to do?" She asked.

"Tell her son that his mothers dead as well."

REESE LANNING'S APARTMENT

Reese put his key in the lock of his door and slowly turned it. Today had been a testing day. As he entered he saw that his window was open and the curtain was blowing in the wind. Now normally he would of assumed he'd left it open as nothing looked out of place, even though it was dark. But In this city having your window open and nothing touched was the sign that you had a pointed eared visitor.

"Reese." Said a gruff voice.

He reached for a lamp and switched it on. The light revelled Batman standing there.

"What are you doing here?" He said nervously.

"I'm sorry to tell you this but your mother was murdered today."

His face went pale. "What?"

"Joker killed her."

"My Father and now my Mother. That bastard." He said, almost sarcastically.

Batman scowled at Reese. "You don't sound too broken up."

"My Mother and Father were never close, and even less close to me. If I ever had a problem I would talk to my Aunt and Uncle. They were more like parents to me. My Mother was always busy keeping Fathers accounts in order so she had enough money to retire on and my Father was busy being a good D.A. Looking like he was the kindest person in the world but really neglecting everyone else at home." "They were still your parents." Batman said.

"I know that but…they never cared for me, or raised me. I hardly have any memories of us together as a happy family. I don't mean to sound cold but I don't feel sadness for their deaths. Mother said that the Lanning family wanted justice to be served after my Fathers death. We told her to leave it. We said not to provoke a madman. I told her you would bring him in, make him pay because that's what you do. Protect us. But she wouldn't listen. She didn't care about his death only the fact no more money would be coming in. Now look at her. She got herself killed."

"I'm sorry you feel that way."

"Don't be. I have an Aunt and Uncle that love me and I love them too and I would do anything for them. Which is why I'm applying for my Fathers position as D.A. I've been studying Law for what feels like my whole life and I want to protect the streets from the madmen. If I get the job I want to work with you Batman. You're one of the very few people who can make a difference in this city. You keep the streets clean and I'll put Gotham's faith back into you."

Batman smiled or at least what looked like a smile. "Deal." He jumped out of the open window and glided onto a rooftop.

This had not been what had expected to hear from Reece but he'd heard of important business people with a happy image for the press but back at home the kid gets the worst of it. Reece was lucky in a way that his Aunt and Uncle were there for him and he'd had a half decent up bringing. But this was it now. Joker had to be found and stopped one way or another.


	4. End or Beginning?

Chapter 4

End or Beginning?

Bruce, Tim, Barbra and Dick sat in the cave trying to figure out where Joker was. He had to be stopped, he seemed more dangerous then ever.

"We can't wait for him to strike again. It's way to risky." Dick said.

"There's no way of finding him. He doesn't even seem to follow a pattern lately." Barbra added.

Tim huffed. "I thought all these psycho's followed a pattern?"

"Tim's right." Bruce said. "Joker's got a new pattern."

"Which is?" Barbra asked.

"No pattern."

"Aw I'm lost." Tim moaned.

"All of Joker's crimes before had something to do with his persona. Clowns. But now he's intent on finding me. Pushing me to my limits. He's obsessed with me. He killed Harold Lanning who I was working with to clean up Gotham. Then he ran to a construction yard. Where's the link?" Bruce closed his eye's and breathed deeply.

Dick had seen this all too many times when he was Robin, in a weird way it was remarkable.

"Cleaning up Gotham…building a new Gotham…building site. That's it. Lanning and I were working on building a new Gotham. I'll clean up the scum and Lanning would get the funding for the new safe sections of Gotham. That's the link."

"So where's he going to be now?" Dick asked.

"He's just murdered Ms Lanning, wrote Jokes on you Batman." He said. Bruce thought back to when he fought Joker in the construction yard.

"_You're going to Arkham…and you're going to rot there."_

"_Right. You know I'll just break out and we'll be doing this all over again." _

"He's back at the construction yard."

"Are you sure he'll be there?" Barbra questioned.

"It's the last place anyone would look but I know how Joker's mind works." Bruce said. "I need the three of you to stay here. This is between me and him."

"Come on what's the worst he could do to us?" Tim said confidently.

Bruce pulled his Batman mask down and said. "You have no idea."

Batman sped off once again in the Batmobile leaving the three heroes behind.

Dick walked over to the computer and turned the TV screen on. It read Breaking News. There was a press conference at city hall. It was Reese Lanning.

"Now that I have become the new D.A. of Gotham I shall finish what my father started. I will make Gotham City a safer and happier place to be but for this to happen we must put our trust in someone else. Batman has saved us countless times,"

A reporter butted in. "But wasn't it your late mother who said Batman is just as bad as the criminals in Gotham?"

"Yes she did say that, Miss?"

"Vicki Vale of The Gotham Gazette."

Dick smiled. "I see Bruce's girlfriend is there."

Barbra huffed. "I wouldn't say girlfriend. They haven't seen each other in ages."

"You almost sound jealous."

"Grow up Dick!" Barbra said annoyed.

"Hey keep it down. I want to hear what they have to say." Tim said. He pressed the rewind button on the computer as it recorded everything that was shown.

"Vicki Vale of the Gotham Gazette."

"Well Miss Vale you are right, it was my Mother who said Batman was a menace but I see past what she saw and what most people see. It was Batman himself who came to me about my Mother's death and offered his condolences. A menace to society would simply not care, he did. I will work with Gotham's hero to make this a better place and through our partnership the scum of Gotham like Joker will cower in fear."

Dick turned the screen off. "Seems he forgot to mention us."

"I'm sure he's willing to work with us as well." Barbra said.

The Batmobile weaved in between the traffic of Gotham almost knocking a man over who wasn't looking where he was going.

Throughout the whole time all Batman had thought about was. "What will I do with Joker?" "I can't kill him…but he has become too dangerous." He sighed the closer he reached the construction yard. Tonight was going to be a turning point but for good or bad?

Joker sat on a chair in the centre of a burned out room. He knew Batman would have figured it out by now. Joker knew him all too well.

"But what to do?" He murmured. "Can't kill him because we have too much fun. But what if he's snapped and he's comes to kill me? Heh-heh. Then I would have finally won." Joker pressed a button on a remote that he was holding tightly and a haunted version of a lullaby tune played.

"Decisions, decisions. But that's all part of the plan isn't it." Joker looked round in the empty room. "Who the hell am I talking to?"

Batman reached the gates of the site. Bits of brick, wood and metal had been stacked up as a kind of makeshift door. Batman pressed a button on the computer screen and two rockets shot out and blew the debris away. All that was left was flaming wreckage. Batman jumped out of the car and walked through the fire protecting his body with his new flame proof cape.

Joker's thugs watched as the immortal seeming Batman walked through the fire unharmed.

"What the hell, he's not human." One of them muttered.

Batman jumped towards one of the thugs with the fire almost following him. The thug fell to the ground in pure fear. Batman punched him in the face knocking him unconscious. The other thugs stepped back, then aimed their guns at him but they were quickly disarmed by a couple of batarangs.

Batman run at them performing brutal takedowns. He punched one in the face, grabbed his arm and flipped him over. Four more thugs ran at him but Batman threw a smoke bomb on the floor which clouded their sight.

"Arg where is he?" They cried.

One after the other got brutally knocked out until there was just one left on his own. The smoke began to clear and the thug saw all of his colleagues sprawled out across the floor.

"Oh god, Where are you?!" He shouted in fear.

They was no reply.

Just like before there was a click that filled the air. Loudspeakers being turned on.

"Heh heh ha. Feeling scared?" Joker tormented the thug. "That's what he does. He plays with your mind making you think that he's inhuman. His movement is erratic and unpredictable and when you least expect it he strikes."

The thug spun round and punched what he thought was Batman but in fact was just thin air.

"Heh heh heh, made you jump." Joker said menacingly.

A dark shadow was cast on the thug from above and Batman landed on top of him knocking him out.

"Ha haaa! Good move, we make quite a team eh Batsy?"

Batman stared at the burnt out husk of the building, it still towered in the air and small lights could be seen in some higher rooms.

"I'm in the building this time in case you're wondering. No van hidden anywhere and definitely no underground lair. All you have to do is reach the top."

Batman walked inside the building and ran up the burnt out stairs that hadn't been fully completed.

"I hate to say I told you so but…didn't I say we'd be doing this again? Well done on figuring it out though. You have to be screw loose to know how my mind works. Speaking of which how does it work because I don't have the foggiest Hahahaa!"

"You talk too much." Batman said. He stopped on the stairs having just figured it out. "I know what you fear."

"What?" Joker snapped.

"You fear being alone. No one to talk too no one to torment. What was it like being alone in Arkham? With only yourself for company."

"If you keep talking like that then I'm never going to tell you how I escaped."

Batman said nothing.

"I thought that would get your attention. You see Batman I've been working on this one for a few years now and…actually why should I tell you, why not keep you in suspense. After all a desperate man is a dangerous man ha-ha."

A door smashed open and standing there was a muscle bound man and his face was covered in cuts and bruises. It was Bane.

"Look who I managed to break out of intensive care." Joker said gleefully. "I thought it should only be fair that you face off again after what you did to Bane's face. Not that he was much of a looker before."

"This time I will break you Batman." Bane said calmly.

"Don't do this Bane, Joker's,"

Bane cut Batman off. "I owe Joker my thanks. He reunited me with my venom and now I shall finish you slowly, as I've been instructed."

The muscle bound villains shoulder barged Batman then punched him several times until he fell to the ground. He picked Batman up by his cape, spun him around and threw him into a wall that collapsed the moment it was hit.

The building moaned as the weight was shifted. A few pieces of debris fell but then it seemed to stablise.

Bane jumped at Batman who rolled out of the way and the villain hurtled through one of the few solid walls and crashed into a support beam.

"Wow! Felt that one all the way up here." Joker commented.

Bane stumbled about and Batman took his chance. He punched Bane in the face then the stomach several times and finished with a kick in his knee to which Bane yelled out in pain. Batman then raised his knee to Bane's head and made shattering contact. He lay slumped on the floor.

"You have got to be kidding me. He's not knocked out already?"

Batman walked up the hall silently only to have Bane grab him from behind.

"It's called playing possum Batman, I'm surprised I fooled you with it."

He tightened his grip on Batman. "Time to die." He hissed.

"You first." Batman grunted. With his legs he pushed against a steel girder and the two of them fell out the side of the building.

Bane let go of Batman and tried to grab hold of something but he was to far away and the ground was getting closer by the second. At the last moment he stopped to a shuddering halt. Bane opened his eyes and saw he was inches away from the ground.

When he looked up he spotted a grappling hook attached to his leg and the other end attached to the building.

"Saved." He thought.

Batman climbed his way back into the building to hear Joker's laughter blare through the speakers.

"Oh I thought you really had snapped that time. I thought "Yes! I've done it, I've finally got to him. Made him cross that line." Oh well, I guess there's still next time. Now where was I?" Joker mumbled to himself. "Oh yeah I remember. Now; I've been planning this one for years. It's not something I could do the first time we meet. I had to make you scared of me."

"I'm not scared of you." Batman said.

"Shh! Don't interrupt, I had to become someone you obsessed about in your mind. Always being in your thoughts and occasionally appearing in your nightmares. Also I needed to know more about you and how you worked and then one day it occurred to me. The people of Gotham! If the people of Gotham didn't want you and I mean really hate you. A kind of deep down hatred then you would feel beaten and broken and then who knows what next."

"Get to the point Joker!" Batman shouted.

"I can't yet Batsy! That would spoil the punch line hee hee!"

"This is just one big joke to you isn't it?"

"Of course it is! Life is just one big joke after the other. I learnt that years ago. All it takes is one bad day to push even the most sanest man on earth over the edge. Hahaaa! I should know. Oh by the way how did you handle Freeze. I heard he was distraught about his wife ha ha!"

"You told him she was still alive."

"I walked past his cell on my way to isolation and told him what he wanted to hear. To bad it was lie. But then again so are most things I say. You know what Bats, you'll kick yourself when you know the punch line. I can hardly contain myself."

"Then tell me."

"No, no! Not yet."

Batman walked up stair after stair. He knew he was getting closer to Joker and when he reached that madman this whole plot of his would be put to rest.

"Just a couple more stairs to go and then you're here. No tricks or traps just you and me. One on one. I see you haven't brought your little Bat-friends along with you. Afraid of my little threat?"

"I already told you, you don't scare me." Batman said.

"Oh but I do. You're afraid of what I might do next and who I might kill. The truth is you don't frighten me. Not like all the other criminals in this dump of a city. I scare people by threatening them, killing them and even turning them as crazy as me. But you, HA! What do you have? A costume that blends into the darkness? AHHHHAAHAAaaaa…" Joker stopped laughing as he just realised that Batman was no longer on any of the camera screens.

He gulped nervously and turned round. "…oh…"

Batman grabbed him by the collar and smashed him into the camera screens.

"Jokes over." Batman said.

"Arrrrrg." Joker moaned in pain. "Not yet. I still have one more trick up my sleeve." Smoke pored out and engulfed almost everything in the room.

Joker managed to escape from Batman's grip and climbed out of the window and up a ladder to the burnt out roof. Once the smoke cleared Batman followed suit.

When he reached the roof Joker was nowhere to be seen. Rain began to fall. It trickled down Batman's cowl and onto his face. This felt all to familiar. Just then Joker popped up from behind a burnt out crate.

He held his thin arms out in the air. "Back where we started Batman!"

He walked towards Joker.

"But before you beat me black and blue, wouldn't you like to know the punch line?"

Batman head butted Joker and blood began to trickle down the mad clowns face.

"I'll be quick then." Joker said weakly. "I managed to escape Arkham by getting help from the inside. All I needed was someone as crazy as me. So I found someone." Joker's demonic smile covered his face. The blood that seeped down his face blended into his lips. "NAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!"

Batman threw Joker against the wall. He grabbed Jokers head and smashed it into another crate then picked him up by the collar again. "What did you do?!" Batman shouted.

"The person who you thought you could trust. Reese Lanning was playing you all along! He was the one who came to me and asked for my help and he was to one who brought my henchman to Arkham so they could help me out. HAHAA! He was the missing piece of my puzzle. "

Batman dropped Joker in shock. "What?"

"Don't you get it?! Reese had had it up to here with his parents never loving him and never caring and all it took was one bad day and he snapped like a twig. I've been leaving you clues all the way detective!"

Joker stood up. "Jokes on you! HAAHHAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAAAAAAA!"

Batman pounced on to Joker and punched his face to the ground. He then picked him up and threw him across the rooftop. All Batman could feel was rage surging through his system. Joker planned this right from the beginning and Reese was also part of it. All what he had said to Batman about changing the city for the best was crap. He'd been played the whole time.

Batman picked up Joker and held him over the edge of the building. Police cars were below.

"How long had they been there for?" Batman thought. "Barbra must have told them."

"You haven't got the guts!" Joker spat.

"The people of Gotham want you dead. Like you said Joker. Gotham is frightened."

"Go on then. Drop me. Condemn yourself to a lifetime of regret."

"Who said I'd regret it?" Batman said coldly.

Joker's face twitched. "You could have killed me anytime before but you didn't which is why I'm betting you won't this time."

Batman stared Joker in the face and whispered. "Jokes on you." He let go of Joker and the Prince clown of crime hurtled towards the floor at and alarming rate. As Joker fell, what he feared most flashed through his mind. Falling. The day he become Joker. The day he lost his mind through fear of falling into the tank of acid, being burnt alive and everything else that had happened to him that day. All those thoughts and feelings rushed through him and "overloaded" his mind.

Commissioner Gordon walked up to Joker who was hanging upside down. Batman had used his other grappling hook to save the mad clown. Joker hung there quietly laughing in some kind of trance.

Gordon clicked his fingers in front of Joker but he didn't react. Batman glided down to ground level.

Gordon smiled. "Easier getting down then up was it?"

Batman stared at Joker. "I almost killed him Jim."

"But you didn't. You restrained yourself and that's what makes you different from monsters like him. Something inside you made you save him."

"How's Arkham?" Batman asked.

"Apparently not as secure as we thought. We found Reese Lannings fingerprints all over the power controls. We arrested him and he told us everything. But I'm guessing you already know."

"I do. Joker told me."

"Good news though. The Mayor of Gotham has decided to fund a new Arkham Asylum. In fact there going call it Arkham Island. It's kind of like a floating prison. That way if the prisoners want to escape they have to get wet first. He said it's the first step to a new Gotham."

"The city's still afraid of me Jim. I see it in their eyes. Hear their whispers."

"These things take time. Especially when monsters like Joker turn them against what they believe."

"No. They have to fear me. All of Gotham does. They have to fear that if they turn to crime I'll be there waiting in the darkness."

Gordon sighed. "They also have to believe that you'll be there to protect the innocent."

Batman looked at the other grappling line that had been holding Bane. "Bane escaped again." He said gruffly.

"Yeah, and we'll find him again." Gordon said positively.

Police officers untied the grappling line from Joker's leg, handcuffed him and dragged him into a secure van. The police radio in Commissioner Gordon's car began to call out.

"All units to Wayne Chemicals Plant, Firefly has been spotted breaking in."

Batman frowned. "Sounds like Industrial sabotage. Firefly was probably hired by Lex Luther again." He ran towards the Batmobile and sped off towards the villains location while the armored van headed towards Arkham.

A FEW HOURS LATER

Two Arkham guards followed by another two with weapons dragged Joker into his cell. The door slid closed and locked behind them.

"Sleep tight freak." One of the guards said.

"Come on man don't provoke him." Said the other.

"What you scared? It's not like he can hear us. The guys completely lost it now. Doesn't react to anything."

"Yeah that doesn't mean you have to test it though."

The guards walked out of the room with the huge doors locking behind them. Joker's eye's darted to the door and a smile formed across his face and he whispered. "Jokes on you Batman."


End file.
